Don't get me wrong
Coming from a developing nation to study at Yale has made me realize how lucky I am to be in such a place with the resources it has. I am quite grateful for this. I believe that the admissions office saw something in me that could lead to doing great things in future. This I have seen from all the resources that are available to all undergraduate students, as we have one of the best environments to learn and act. However, there’s one particular issue that serves to hamper this: the student income contribution.
Don’t get me wrong, I value hard work and it is one of my core beliefs. However, for a low-income student, the student income contribution acts as a hamper to maximizing your potential here at Yale. Some of my major decisions are influenced greatly by my financial situation. I’m having a hard time and I want to go to Yale Mental health, there’s no time to go Yale health since I have a day job at Sterling that I need to work a minimum of 10 hours at the same time taking 5 classes. I have midterms coming soon, I still have to work the 10 hours since I cannot afford to miss the paycheck.
The greatest thing that student income contribution takes away is not necessarily the money but rather the time, hence the opportunity cost. At the end of the four years, you will have two students, one who had all the best conditions to make the best out of themselves and another who has had a handicap all along. We are not asking for equality of outcome but equality of opportunity.
Don’t get me wrong, I value hard work and it is one of my core beliefs. However, for a low-income student, the student income contribution acts as a hamper to maximizing your potential here at Yale. Some of my major decisions are influenced greatly by my financial situation. I’m having a hard time and I want to go to Yale Mental health, there’s no time to go Yale health since I have a day job at Sterling that I need to work a minimum of 10 hours at the same time taking 5 classes. I have midterms coming soon, I still have to work the 10 hours since I cannot afford to miss the paycheck.
The greatest thing that student income contribution takes away is not necessarily the money but rather the time, hence the opportunity cost. At the end of the four years, you will have two students, one who had all the best conditions to make the best out of themselves and another who has had a handicap all along. We are not asking for equality of outcome but equality of opportunity.
